Four Longhorns Elevated to the AIA College of Fellows
Congratulations to four University of Texas at Austin alumni, Burton Baldridge, Jay Brotman, Erick Mikiten, and Stephen Springs, on their elevation to the College of Fellows—the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) highest membership honor.
Each year, the AIA recognizes architects for their exceptional work and contributions to architecture and society. Prospective candidates are considered on a variety of factors, such as the design excellence of their body of work, their influence on advancing the standards of practice, leadership within the building industry and the profession, contributions in public service or work in government, , impact and service to society, or contributions to architectural education and training. Only three percent of AIA members hold this prestigious designation.
On June 5, the AIA will officially induct the 2025 Class of Fellows at its AIA Conference on Architecture & Design (AIA25) in Boston. In conjunction with the conference, the School of Architecture will hold an alumni reception on the evening of June 5. Alumni who wish to attend are invited to RSVP by May 28.
About the Fellows
Burton Baldridge holds three degrees from the University of Texas at Austin—a Bachelor of Business Administration (1990), a Bachelor of Arts — Plan II (1990), and Juris Doctorate (1993). He is the founder and principal of Baldridge Architects, whose work encompasses varied projects—commercial, residential, institutional and civic—in the Austin community as well as throughout the U.S.
Jay Brotman graduated from the School of Architecture with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1979. In the last four decades, Brotman has led efforts for a wide-ranging scope of projects, including innovative research facilities, campus transformations, and the retrofit of high-performance buildings for prominent institutions and corporations. He is one of Connecticut’s leading authorities on planning and design and the principal at Svigals + Partners.
Erick Mikiten graduated from the School of Architecture with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1987. He is the founder and principal of Mikiten Architecture, as well as the founder of the Art of Access, a branch of the firm that focuses on research and consulting around Universal Design and Inclusion. Erick designs highly personalized homes and helps businesses create workplace strategies regarding employee comfort and productivity. He has taught architectural design at UC Berkeley and is currently a special consultant on architecture and universal design for the Ed Roberts Campus—the world’s foremost disability rights service, advocacy, education, training, and policy center.
Stephen Springs graduated from the School of Architecture with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1996. A nationally recognized leader and senior principal at Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects, Stephen’s work focuses on the planning and design of civic recreation and aquatic projects. He promotes community-focused approaches that elevate science, art, and impact of quality-of-life projects.